


Certificate

by dimesandnickels



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-28 03:52:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15040097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dimesandnickels/pseuds/dimesandnickels
Summary: Virgil questions his place among the sides, but Patton has proof that he has always belonged.





	Certificate

“It’s just…” Virgil sighs. He fiddles with his sleeves and refuses to look at any of the others. They had already accepted him into their group, but Virgil was once again overthinking his role among them. 

“You were fine without me. You were already a family and I just kind of intruded,” he continued. Thomas had started fidgeting with his sleeves as well, reflecting the movement of Virgil as the anxious side started to gain more control over his mind. 

“Kiddo-” Patton started before being cut off by Virgil.

“But Patton, I’m not your kid. Not really, so why do you act like it? Is it because you don’t want me to duck out again? Is it because you feel like you have to since we’re all part of Thomas? ‘Cause that shouldn’t force you to have to include me, I don’t want to intrude if you really don’t want me here. We could just be, like, business partners or something.”

“Well,” Patton started to say before starting to search through his pockets. Virgil finally looked up from the ground and saw the realization and exasperation dawn on the faces of Roman and Logan, respectively. 

“Patton, we’re not real so it doesn’t really prove-”

“We’re all in our twenties, so-”

Patton ignored them both and instead looked Virgil right in the eye as he pulled out a piece of paper with a flourish. He tossed the paper in Virgil’s direction, where it immediately fluttered to the ground and had to be handed over to the youngest by Roman. 

Virgil unfolded the wrinkled piece of paper.

In bold letters across the top were the words ‘Certificate of Adoption.’ 

According to the document, Virgil Sanders was born in the hospital of the ‘Mind Palace,’ the city ‘of Stars,’ and the state of ‘Panic’ on the day of ‘eight months after Thomas, maybe.’ He was apparently adopted by Patton Sanders, born in the Mind Palace in the ‘City of Love’ and the state of ‘Contentment’ the same day as Thomas. The document was signed in Patton’s loopy cursive and dated at around the time Thomas turned 16. Virgil had known the other sides before that time since, as Roman put it, he had already upgraded to a thorn in their side, but it seems as though 16 was when Patton decided to fully take on his role as a dad figure. 

Virgil looked at the others with his eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. Patton smiled at him when he realized the youngest couldn’t find anything to say. 

“See, you’ve been part of my family for a while, kiddo. I was your dad when you were still wearing all black and hiding in your room being grumpy. You didn’t force yourself into our group, I adopted you before you even learned our names. And that document is official, it’s written in pen and everything, so if you’re okay with it, I’d like to keep being your dad just like I was since the day you shuffled in with your giant hoodie and messed up hair and then immediately made a run for it when you saw us.”

Virgil chuckled at the memory, though he had been genuinely terrified at the time. It was the first time in his nearly sixteen years of existence that he had been in a room with all of the other three at the same time. “Thanks, Dad,” he whispered, not trusting himself to speak any louder lest his voice crack. If he started crying now, he didn’t think he’d be able to stop. 

“No problem, kiddo. I’ll give you a hug when we’re back in the mind palace.” 

They wrapped up the video and sunk out of living room and into the mind palace. As promised, Patton immediately launched himself at Virgil, nearly sending both of them to the floor. 

When they broke apart, Virgil headed to his room, wanting to spend time reading the piece of paper over and over again and then probably cry. However, this plan was foiled when Patton followed him in. Virgil gave a little squeak as the previously unnoticed blue and grey figure brushed past him into the cobweb adorned room. They sat on the bed, not saying anything, though the silence was a peaceful one. 

“Did you adopt Logan and Roman as well?” Virgil asked. It may have been selfish, but part of him wished to be the only child of the moral side. 

“Nope, they’re too close to my age.”

“Patton, I’m not even a year younger than you.”

“Yes, but compared to the few days between the rest of us, you seem years younger.”

“Do you always carry this around?” Virgil held gestured to the certificate. 

“Yep!” Patton replied cheerily as he started to swing his legs. Virgil blushed slightly and gave a small smile. 

“I like the names you used for where we were born.”

“Thanks! I was worried about using them since they might be patented, but since I wrote them, they’re now Patton-ted!” Virgil chuckled quietly, though it was drowned out by Patton giggling at his own joke. 

Patton turned serious suddenly. “I meant it when I told you that you’ve always been family. I’m glad that you see yourself as part of my family now as well.” And then finally, Virgil understood. He hadn’t elbowed his way into their midst, he had simply finally noticed and accepted the place he always had in Patton’s heart. 

He smiled to himself and leaned onto his dad’s shoulder while the eldest side continued making puns and telling stories about when he tried to ground Roman, made Logan play outside which resulted in a half shredded lawn ‘because of science,’ and when he tried to give Thomas the birds and the bees talk even though he didn’t know it himself. Finally, he seemed to have gotten his wished for son in an anxious kid who actually wanted a dad and told the story of when he spent hours searching for Virgil throughout the mind palace, only to find him asleep in his hiding place in the cabinet above the fridge and carried him to the same bed that the same two, though now older, sides were curled up in, one rambling while the other dozed off against his chest.


End file.
